Youngerman Block

206-208 4th Street

Completed: 1876

William Foster,  architect

NRHP 2009

Style: Italianate – Italianate commercial blocks are the hallmark of Main Street America. The downtown commercial district began to boom during the 1870s, at which time the Italianate style was extremely fashionable. The flat topped blocks with brackets and decorative window moldings were two or more stories tall and featured large storefront windows.

The Youngerman Block window hoods and exterior veneer on upper stories are made of the first commercial cast stone manufactured “Asbestine”. Youngerman used this building as a permanent showroom for the product It has cast, molded and trowel on asbestine (magnesium silicate and aggregate artificial stone)

This is the sole remaining building by Youngerman, who was one of the most prolific local masonry contractors in the 1880’s.

Originally know as the “Art Block” because it housed the city’s first art gallery and frame shop on the second floor

By 1890, Youngerman had moved from his office and thus began a series of small businesses in the building.  During this time, the building housed a collection agency, a retail drug and medicine store, and a tobacco shop.

In the early 1900s the upper floors were operated as a boarding house; the Tremont Hotel.

Between 1915 and 1935 William Koenisberger operated a harness shop at 208 Fourth.

It was purchased by the Hotel Randolph for additional space.

The storefront was remodeled in 1935 in an Art Deco/Asian influenced design to unify the two buildings.

Between 1940 and 1960 the Ran-Da-Voo Tavern and Randolph Coffee Shop were the principal occupants.  Later, the Ran-Da-Voo became known as the Blue Garter Tavern. The upper floors were additional hotel rooms.

During the 1970s the first floor remained vacant while the second floor had been incorporated into the Randolph hotel.

In 2000, Full Court Press was established by the owners and several employees of Buzzard Billy’s with a vision that they could breathe new life into the downtown Des Moines eating and drinking establishment scene while renovating and rehabilitating some of the areas older and more historically significant buildings.  Their first project, in 2001 was the renovation of what is currently The Royal Mile, a British style pub, located on the main level of this building.